1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a food dispensing package for dispensing food wherein a dispensing cover of the food dispensing package, after separation from a rim of the dispensing cover, is forced toward a bottom of the container which provides an indication of the food remaining in the container and forces food upward through a resealable through hole in the cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many food containers exist which hold fluidized food, such as various dips for chips, vegetables and the like. However, most conventional food containers require the user to scoop the food out with a utensil, such as a spoon, knife or the like. Other containers for food have various covers or lids for preserving the food during storage. Many covers or lids are purchased separately from the food package and must be retroactively added to the food package container. Some conventional lids are for the purpose of retaining heat or preventing the spillage of the fluidized food.
For example, Mueller, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,312, discloses a cold beverage container having a lid with a hinged resealable stopper that covers a drinking hole in the lid. Likewise, Yoshida, U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,045, discloses a container cover having an openable film closure.
Sheets, U.S. Pat. No. 2,812,121, teaches a dispensing container for liquids, powder, sugar and the like. The protective cover for the container has a flange with a cut away section. By squeezing or applying pressure about the periphery of the container, the container extends in a predetermined direction to form a spout through which liquid within the container can be poured. The spout extends through the cut away section of the lid when the container is compressed about its periphery.
Tighe, U.S. Pat. No. 1,973,449, and Conti, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 276,118, disclose different covers for dishes or the like. According to the teachings of the Tighe patent, the cover has openings for the exhaust of steam or vapor.
Paramski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,091 and Paramski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,260 teach dispensing food containers comprising a cover having a through hole. As the cover is pushed into a food container, fluidized product is discharged through the through hole in the cover.
It is thus apparent that there exists a need for a resealable cover and container which are distributed in a single saleable unit and provide easy dispensing, and complete coverage, of a fluidized food container, such as for dips for vegetables, chips, crackers and the like, particularly without requiring additional utensils for dispensing the food or separate containers for storing the food.